Unmanned aircraft vehicle

An innovative solar-powered aircraft that can stay in the sky for prolonged periods of time by “inhaling” air to move has been created by scientists in the UK.The Phoenix unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is able to propel itself forward autonomously, repeatedly switching from being lighter than air and heavier than air to generate thrust, a new type of variable-buoyancy propulsion.“The vehicle’s fuselage contains helium to allow it to ascend and also contains an air bag which inhales and compresses air to enable the craft to descend,” said Andrew Rae, professor of engineering at the University of the Highlands and Islands, which is among five universities working on Phoenix.“This motion propels the aeroplane forwards and is assisted by the release of the compressed air through a rear vent.”The prototype 15-metre long and 120kg aircraft was successfully tested for the first time in an indoor facility in Portsmouth in March, over a distance of 120 … [Read more...] about UK scientists develop self-propelling aircraft that ‘inhales’ air

Aircrafts must be prepared to deal with any atmospheric condition in order to fly safely and efficiently, but with a wide range of aircraft models, shapes and purposes, it can be difficult to predict exactly how nature will affect each vehicle. Trial-and-error methods of designing and building an aircraft, testing it against controlled conditions, and then re-designing and re-building, are time-consuming and costly—the more engineers can predict about an aircraft’s performance ahead of time, the more resources they can save by building a more effective model the first time. NASA’s Glenn Research Center seeks to boost engineers’ prediction power when it comes to understanding how ice will accumulate on the surface of an aircraft during flight. LEWICE3D, a 3D simulation software that earned Glenn Research Center an R&D 100 Award last year, takes into account several factors in the movement of freezing water droplets in order to model the shapes of ice … [Read more...] about NASA Software Innovation Models Aircraft Ice Accumulation

Christopher Woody, provided by Published 2:01 pm PST, Thursday, December 27, 2018 US Army/Charles Rosemond The US military has renewed its focus on great-power competition. As part of that, it's preparing to take on a near-peer or peer adversary. That includes training for situations in which US forces won't control the air. The US military is shifting its focus toward preparing for great-power conflict, and on the ground in Europe, where heightened tensions with Russia have a number of countries worried about renewed conflict. That includes new attention to short-range air-defense — a capability needed against an adversary that could deploy ground-attack aircraft, especially helicopters, and contest control of the air during a conflict. Read more: NATO forces are relearning the lessons of the Cold War to face Russian threats Between late November and mid-December, Battery C of the 1st Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Regiment from the Ohio National Guard … [Read more...] about The US Army is practicing to take down enemy aircraft in the skies over Europe

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's probably a drone. Quadcopters, multirotors, and other forms of unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV) have taken off in a big way.We're not talking about a novelty gift that self-destructs on impact with a lamp by the end of Christmas day, or serious hobbyist tech that costs thousands to put together. Those are toys for serious, long-standing enthusiasts.We're here to chat about affordable drones, equipped with cameras and capable of flying anywhere. These have been around for some time now, and the rise of consumer drones has been rapid. Prices have fallen, built-in GPS and stabilization systems have made them easier to pilot, and you can use them to capture stunning video footage.These compact aircraft have also been hitting the headlines more often, with the likes of concerns being aired by the FBI over in the US – more on that later – and of course most recently, the rogue drone that brought Gatwick airport to a grinding halt for a day and … [Read more...] about Where can you legally fly your drone?

Tech & Science Since their surge in popularity in recent years, drones have been heralded as the future of transportation, carrying everything from packages to people. But they could also revolutionize the medical field as well by being used to transport human organs for transplants. Currently organs are transplanted across the country by either commercial aircraft or expensive charter flights. But with drones, individual organs could be transported directly from the hospital where the body part has been removed to the hospital where the patient is awaiting the organ to be implanted. Dr Joseph Scalea (second left) and his team at the University of Maryland Medical Center tested the drone back in March. University of Maryland Medical Center Dr. Joseph Scalea at the University of Maryland’s Medical Center has been leading the charge to turn this fantasy into a reality. “Three years ago I began asking myself why it is that we need to wait for commercial aircraft … [Read more...] about Organs By Drone? Unmanned Flying Vehicles Could Soon Carry Body Parts For Human Transplants